Tumbling mill



Oct. 13, 193.1. N. RANsoHoFF 1,826,822

l* TUMBLING MILLv Filed Oct. 23. 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet l g1/manici mw Wn/v WM Oct. 13, 1931.

Filed oep. '23. 192s N, RAVNSQHQFF 1,826,822

TUMBLING. M11@ 4SheeAts--Sheet 2 ,immmm mmm lmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm nugu "1.. w.

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' TUMBLING MILL Filed oct. 23, was s sheets-sheet 3 Patented Oct. 13, Y 1931 masia NATHAN RANSOHOFF, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO Application mea octberiaa, 193s. serial No. 314,481. t

The invention relates to improvements in tumbling mills, and provides forthe use of a cleaning or polishing material or abrading j elements in a tumbling chamber, which, vvith the product, as castingl to be cleaned, are discharged from the chamber as a mass finto a revolving screen Within the mill screening the cleaningv or abrading material from the castings for returning the cleaning material to the tumbling chamber. i l y The invention is particularly directed tota*v mill providing a tumbling or cleaning cham'- ber and an enclosed cylindrical conveyer screen extending from one side of the tumbling chamber forreceivingl the contents of the tumbling chamber. The enclosure for the screen provides a drum, collectingpthe screenings for return into the tumbling chamber. The contents of the tumbling chamber is discharged into therevolving screen and the vscreeningsv from the collecting drum into the'tumblingchamber through chute' devicesv intermediate the tumbling chamber and the screen with its collecting drum, theparts all combined and rotative as a unit, With the tumbler contentsdischarge, and screening recharge controlled by relativereverse mill .rotation. Y l

An object of the invention is to provide' a tumbling mill With'a' tumbling chamber and a cylindrical conveyer screen housed by a collecting drum, the tumbling chamber and .the screen with its kcollecting drum combined and revolving asa unit and relatively arranged, adapting the contents ofthe tumbling chamber 'to' be discharged into the screen, and the screenings, as an abrading or cleaning material, collected in the drum for subsequent return into the tubular chamber for reuse. The` contents of the tumbling chamber canpbe agitated and retained therein for a definite or desired' period land discharged at will, preferably by a change in direction of mill rotation. v f

Another object is to provide a hopper vor chute between the cleaning chamber and theV discharge cylinder which receives the casting elevated by rotation Vof the tumbling chamber for discharging themV from the tumbling chamber of large diameter into a` concentrically related discharge cylinder of smaller diameter.. y A

The invention further contemplates the use of chutes or hoppers between the Cleany ing anddischarge ends ofthe barrel Which enable the operator to tumble thecastings verse the direction of barrel rotation to dis- Vcharge they castingsjThe respective chutes are designed to function in oppositedirec- 'tions of rotation, one providing for the discliargeof thel castings and the other providing for thereturn of the cleaning elements .l

'separated from the castings being discharged.V

It is therefore another object yof this in'- vention to provide a tumbling mill in which the tumbling can be maintained for vselected periods, and thereafter, the contents of the cleaning chamber discharged With the sepl aration of products cleaned from thecleaningmateri al, and the cleaning materials auto- Amatic'ally Vreturned to the cleaning chamber,

Another object is to provide double ported partition construction between the cleaningy chamber and the discharge chamber Which'permits immediat-e return of the cleaning elements into the cleaningrchamber rand chamber upon rotation in one direction, and which permits a quick discharge ofthe Jacks vand cleaned castings into the `jackr separating astingdischarge chamber upon reversal and C, A of barrel rotation. l y y Another object is to provide a discharge conveying tube leading from Ithe cleaning lchamber of a tumbling mill which separates the small cleaning elements and tailings from the cleaned castingsv as the castings are being,-

moved to a point for discharge from the mill.V

laslong as desired in the tumbling chamber A yby rotation in one direction, andto thenrey'retentionv of thecastings inthe cleaninggV the mill and will be apparent from the description of the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a complete tumbling mill.

Figure 2 is a view of the discharge end thereof. y

Figure 3 is a sectional View taken on line 3-3, Fig. 1, looking toward the ported partition between the tumbling chamber and the separating or product discharge chamber.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on line 44, Fig. 3, illustrating the tumbling` chamber, the casting discharge tube, the jack or cleaning element return tube, and the partition between the tumbling chamber and the discharge and return tubes, the view being taken through the casting discharge port in the partition leading into the discharge tube.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 5 5. Fig. 3, through the cleaning element return port in the partition. Y

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken on line 6 6, Fig. 3, showing the arrangement of the port elements relative to the spiral ring forming the partition.

Figure 7 is a front view of the spiral ring or disk constituting the partition.

Figure 8 is an exploded view illustrating the hopper-like port elements and the partition.

Figure 9 is a side elevation of the partition removed from the mill.

As disclosed in the drawings, the cylindrical tumbling barrel 10 of the mill is rotatably mounted within a rectangular framework 1l of skeleton form, fabricated of structural iron. The respective ends of the barre. are cradled or mounted for rotation on pairs of spaced flanged rollers, a pair of forwardly disposed rollers indicated at 12 and a rear pair indicated at 13. rlhe shafts of these rollers are journaled in bearings 14 mounted on cross rails, a forward pair of cross rails 15 and a rear pair 16.

Each pair of rails 15 and 16 is spaced apart longitudinally and horizontally, with the respective rollers disposed therebetween, and the bearings 14 on the cross rails at each side of the respective rollers for mounting the roller shafts. i

The flanges of the rollers are outwardly disposed and the roller surfaces are in engagement with hoops 17 and 18 formed of strap iron, front and rear respectively, these hoops being secured around the cylindrical barrel. The forward hoop is constituted by the flange of a barrel end closure cap 23. The outwardly disposed flanges of the rollers engage respective hoop edges and maintain the barrel against longitudinal displacement.

The rear end of the barrel terminates in a straight portion presenting a plain open end. A closure for this end is provided ber ing secured to the frame with the barrel rotating relative thereto. This closure means at the discharge end comprises a cap 19 fitting over the end of the barrel and having the lower portion of its face cut away providing a casting discharge opening 20. The cap is secured to the frame by means of a T-shaped strap 21 attached to the cap and the fra-me. The cap is thus disposed in a stationary relation relative to the rotating tumbling barrel, the flange of the cap encompassing the plain rotating cylinder rear edge. A chute 22 is secured to the rearmost cross rail 16 relative to the discharge opening for properly directing the discharge from the barrel.

The intake end of the barrel is closed by means of the cap 23`attached toV and rotative with the barrel, having a concentric intake opening 24 therein. feed hopper 25 is suitably secured to the frame and disposed in the intake opening.

yThe power for rotating the barrel is derived from a motor 26 mounted on the frame,

its pinion 27 driving a large gear 23 mounted on a horizontally disposed shaft 29 journaled longitudinally of the frame in bearings 30 secured to the top cross rails-31 of the frame. A sprocket gear 32 is secured to the shaft 29, and a ring gear 33 is secured about the barrel adjacent the sprocket gear 32, these gears being in driving connection through a sprocket chain 34. The motor 26 is of the reversible type for the purposes of imparting rotation to the barrel in either direction.

The barrel is conical in both directions, one conical portion 35 decreasing toward the discharge end and the other 36 toward the intake end. A straight tube 37 made up of wire mesh 38, formed about a spiral conveyor 39, is rotatably secured with the barrel throughout the length of the long conical portion 35. This tube 37 is supported at its rear end in the straight rear portion of the barrel and at its forward end is attached to a partition 4Q. The partition 40 is provided between the respective oppositely inclined conical portions and provides a large tumbling chamber 41 toward the forward end of the straight tube, this chamber defined by the eXtent of the conicalr portion 36. The tumbling chamber may be a straight tube provided with longitudinal wedge strips inclined toward the discharge end thereof. rlhe partition 39 is provided with a pair of port chutes, respectively casting discharge 42 and cleaning element intake 43.

The body of the partition is formed by a split spiral ring 44, (see Figures 7 and 3). this ring having its outer edge secured to the interior wall of the barrel by any suit able means such as welding. The pair of chutes 42 and 43 respectively, casting discharge and cleaning element return are secured to the ringin the following arrangement by any conventional means vsuch as welding. The chutes arevertically mounted at each side of thelsplit in the'ring havy theside'of the ring toward the separating chamber. A split end ofthe ring is secured to the upper portion of the forward edge of the side wall and the lower end of the chute;

protrudes through the central opening .of the ring toward-the tumblingfchamber side lao ' Ato clined invthis direction.

When the barrel is rotated in an anti-clockwise direction r(see Figurey 8) the cleaning thereof, the floor l8of thelchutel being inelements, being toward the lower end of the` conical separating chamber 49 and agains the ring, dropped by gravity upon rotation through the space between the rear side ofthe chute and the ring and upon continuedrotation are acted upon by gravityto the extent of being directed laterally through the baseend of the chute into the tumbling chamber.

The casting discharge chute is of the saine formation as the cleaning element return chute except that the side wall of the return chute forms the side wall of t-he casting dis-r charge chute. The relation of this-casting.-

discharge chute, however, is in reverse direction,y the base end 50 thereof extending through the center opening ofthe ring and being disposed toward the rear of the barrel or into the end of the discharge cylinder. The cent-ral opening ofthe ring is suitably cut to fit snugly around the hopper-s and to be welded thereto. l

Rotation of the barrel in the clockwise rdirection (see Figure 8) causes the castingsV and cleaning elements wit-hin the tumbling chamber to fall by gravity into the discharge chiite and thence into the discharge cylinder. The action of the elements in either direction of barrel rotation is to be directed by gravity to a position at one side ofthe ring and from this position in the base of the barrel to be ring.

The general operation of the mill is as follows:

The operator introduces the castings into the cleaning chamber through the hopper at4 the forward end of the machine, the cleaning elements being disposed therein. The barrel is then rotated in an anti-clockwise direcv Ythe inner end of the inner cylinder for directtion as viewed from the forward end of `'the barrel until the castings have been suitably cleaned by Contact with the cleaning elements. Any cleaning element which may have been ical separating chamber.v

vleft in the separating chamber wil'lhave been yreintroduced into the tumbling chamber .pleted the power is reversed with the resultk that "the Vcastings and cleaning elements are scooped into the discharge chute and deposityed within the forwardend of the discharge.

cylinder, the vcenter of this cylinderbeing coincidental with the center of the ring and withthebarrel. f f y ,y At this time the castings and cleaning elementszmoveV along thedischa-rge cylinder, thismovem'ent being induced by rotation of the spiral with the result thatthe cleaning elements-are sifted through the screen wall of the cylinder .and drop down into the co`n 1 The castings are conveyed to the extreme end ofthe barrel and 'discharged through the discharge opening." Due to the taper of the cone of the barrel, the cleaning elements move to a zone jadjacent the ring and immediately upon a rotation' of the barrel are yreturnedV y cleaniii tot efcleaning or tumbling chamber.

An arrangement anduse of the present .mechanisms'is intended to be applicable to barrel'rotating ina clockwise direction, in

which `directiontlie discharge lchute of the presentconception will be functioning to peimit assao'e of the castings into the castinor 'discharge and ycleaning element separating cylinder.

In order to further actuate the elements f within the cleaning'chamber,` a` series of flat lates '5`l`are secured to the inner wall vof the tumblino` chamber 'fthese olates causing` the C 7 i c,

elements to be carried slightly up the lrotating .wal-l' and then dropped, resulting in a thorough intermingling and contacting yof chamber adjacent the ldisk for the purpose' v lof removing` accumulated tailings..y moved by gravity and directed by a respective f chute toward the center of the ring and out. wardly therethrough to the other side of the y MHaving described my invention, I claimt l. A tumbling mill, comprising, a rotatajble vbarrel having anintake end and a 'discharge end, said barrelproviding a tumbling chamber of full barrel `diai'neter .toward the intake end of thebarrel, aninner conveying cylinder concentrically mounted withinY the barrel and extending from the tumbling chamber to the discharge end of tlie'barrel,

a chute between the tumbling chamber and ing` the contents of the tumbling chamber l into the 'inner cylinder, and a chute connectingvrthe dischargeend of the barrel, which surrounds the inner conveying cylinder, to the tumbling chamber.

2. A tumbling mill, comprising, a rotat able barrel having an intake end and a discharge end, said barrel conically formed from an intermediate point to the discharge end, a partition Within said barrel at the termination of the conical portion forming a tumbiing chamber toward the forward end of the barrel, a screen tube having a spiraled interior concentrically mounted Within the barrel and extending from the partition to the discharge end of the barrel, said partition of split spiral ring form, a chute mounted at each side of the split of the spi-ral ring, the intake end of one of said chutes being disposed toward the tumbling chamber, and the discharge end disposed toward the mouth ot' the screen tube, and the other of said chutes having its intake opening disposed toward the barrel portion exteriorly adjacent the screen tube and its discharge end disposed rtoward the tumbling chamber.

3. A tumbling mill, comprising, a rotatable barrel having intake and discharge openings at relatively opposite ends, said barrel of conical form from an intermediate point to the discharge end, a partition Within said barrel at the termination of the conical portion forming a tumbling chamber toward the forward end of the barrel, a screen tube having a spiraled interior extending from the partition to the discharge end of the barrel, said partition ot split spiral ring form, a chute mounted adjacent the split of the spiral ring, the intake end of said chute being disposed toward the tumbling chamber through the offset, and the discharge end disposed through the center of the partition toward the mouth of the screen tube.

4.. A tumbling mill, comprising, a rotatable barrel having intake and discharge openings at relatively opposite ends, a partition Within said barrel dividing the interior into a tumbling chamber and a discharge chamber, a conveying tube extending from the partition through the discharge chamber, said partition of split spiral ring form, a chute mounted adjacent the split of the spiral ring, the intake end of said chute being disposed toward the tumbling chamber, and the discharge end disposed toward the mouth of the conveying tube.

5. A tumbling mill, comprising, a rotatable barrel having intake and discharge openings at relatively opposite ends, a partition intermediate of the length ot said barrel dividing the same into a tumbling chamber and a separating chamber, a conveying tube having a screen body extending from the partition through said separating chamber, said partition of split ring Jform, a pair of chutes mounted adjacent the split of the ring, the intake end of one ot said chutes being disposed toivard the tumbling chamber, and the discharge end being disposed toward the mouth of the screen tube, and the other of said chutes having its intake opening disposed tovvard the separating chamber and its discharge end disposed toward the tumbling chamber.

6. A tumbling mill, comprising, a rotatable barrel, a partition intermedia-te of the length of said barrel dividing the same into a tumbling chamber and a separating chamber, said partition of split spiral ring form, the porting of the partition comprising, a pair of chutes mounted adjacent the split of the ring, the intake end ot one of said chutes being disposed laterally of the partition and into the tumbling chamber, and the discharge end entering into the separating chamber, and the other of said chut-es having'its intake opening disposed laterally of the partition and toward the separating chamber and its discharge end entering into the tumbling chamber.

7. A tumbling mill, comprising a rotative drum interiorly partitioned to constitute a tumbling chamber and an adjacent collecting chamber, a cylindrical screen Within the collecting chamber, the partition dividing said tumbling chamber from the collecting chamber and the screen having chutes formed thereupon for respectively discharging the contents of the tumbling chamber into the screen, and the screenings from the collecting chamber into the tumbling chamber.

8. A tumbling mill, comprising a rotative vdrum interiorly partitioned to constitute a tumbling chamber and an adjacent collecting chamber, a cylindrical conveyer screen Within the collecting chamber, and chutes for respectively discharging the contents of the tumbling chamber into the screen, and the screenings from the collecting chamber into the tumbling chamber.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name.

NATHAN RANSOHOFF. 

